


Even If It Takes All Night

by InnerBananaDaze



Series: To End Their Wars [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dimension Travel, Dumbledore's Army, Gen, Horcruxes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29985867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InnerBananaDaze/pseuds/InnerBananaDaze
Summary: Draco Malfoy has discovered a way to leave his universe where Voldemort won. He finds himself traveling to other universes and helping them succeed in war.Draco lands in a universe where he helps the Golden Trio and DA win the war for Hogwarts.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter
Series: To End Their Wars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205708
Kudos: 20





	1. I Found A Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lovely- billie eilish, khalid

Draco paced quickly- too quickly to have any reason for it but too slow to burn enough calories that it was a true workout. His highlighter-colored hair was up in swirly spikes and his forehead gleamed with a thin sheet of sweat. His footsteps stopped abruptly, and his legs halted as if anything mattered in the world. His fingers snapped deafly and his face brightened with hope.

He took careful steps towards the bookcase closest to him. He was in a library, it appeared, but it was dim and only lit with a few lanterns across the shelves. The light was staggered but produced enough light for Draco to take a book from the shelf just above the bottom and pick out a scarlet-cover.

The title was encrusted in silver with black accents that read, “Tiles of the Universe.” Draco flickered through the pages, not caring to look in the table of contents or pick out a chapter. He tossed each paper-thin page for the next, only stopping when the chapter “Tile Picking” came up.

_Think of a Tile as a universe. A universe can be almost the exact same as its neighbor, but with a single change. It can be a simple thing such as a random person waking up a few seconds later, or it can be a soldier shooting the wrong person and starting a war. Each universe has an infinite amount of timelines. Infinite is not even a thing anyone can wrap their heads around. It is an unknown number that never ends._

_A Tile is a single universe. Every universe is a timeline that sprung from the original timeline/universe. When someone goes back in time permanently or non-permanently they have not truly gone back in time. They have traveled through a universe. Time travel is not impossible, but it is more tricky than universe traveling._

_In order to travel, one must pick a Tile. Like tiles on a bathroom floor, each one will appear the same unless it is cracked, then one knows it is more different. If one wants to go to a universe that is very similar to the one they’re in, then they must choose a Tile that looks the exact same._

_If a Tile is broken, then it will be a universe that is very, very different than the one that the person is in. If a Tile is shattered then almost nothing will be the same as the universe that one is in. If a Tile does not appear to be a tile in shape or form, then the universe would not only be very different, it will not be a familiar place. It is an unknown that not even I dare to go._

_One must pick their Tiles carefully. Tiles are to be feared, but do not freeze up in that fear. One might not truly die, but the memories do not come through. A Tile is to be selected. To choose the right Tiles for you, continued to the next page… ___

__Draco flipped the pages once more. He opened a page that was labeled “Ingredients.” He ran his finger down the page as his feet shuffled to the other side of the room. He was met with cabinets full of odds and ends, many being clear-ish bottles filled with unique smells, liquids, and herbs. He gathered each ingredient carefully, placing the fumbling jars and ends on a desk sat next to an off lamp._ _

__He grabbed a stone bowl and a stone rod from a drawer under the cabinets. He set it down with a slight thump, then turned on the lamp. It lit up the area with an orange tinge. Draco wiggled out his arms and hands before grabbing for a green-filled bottle. As he added each ingredient in, he stirred. He stood above the desk stirring for what felt like hours before the mixture turned the exact color of red that the book was._ _

__Knowing that if this worked, he would not return to his universe, he quickly packed his items. He went to the closet and pulled out a few bundles of clothes. He entered the bundles into a large purple sack. He exited the closet and gathered bottles after boxes of ingredients. He then picked a few books off of his shelf and threw those in too with a few already brewed potions. He shrunk the bag with a gray pulse of magic and put it into his coat pocket._ _

__But the paste wasn’t quite done yet. He fumbled through the desk drawer to show a dagger. He held it up to his head, re-reading the instructions before he chopped off a chunk of his hair from behind his ear. The platinum locks fell into the mixture sadly. Draco stirred and mushed his short locks into the scarlet concoction. As if by magic, the potion lit up in a silver light. The light pulsed, and then Draco was not in his own realm._ _

__Before him, he was met with a hall of tiles. Each tile was white, but far, far down he saw that there appeared to be off-yellow tiles that could be mistaken for white. He was afraid to think that even further down there would be cracked tiles, then shattered, and then tiles that weren’t tiles._ _

__His feet clicked across the tiles on the ground. He still had all of his person’s things. His coat felt heavy, but he assumed that was the guilt that was wedged within his shoulders. Draco stopped as he looked down at a tile that was perfectly white and crisp just like the ones all around it. But it was calling out for him. Truly, it was. He wasn’t as insane as anyone thought._ _

__Draco bent down, then pressed his fingers onto it. Only his longest three fingers fit on the surface of the tile. Then, the tiles separated. It revealed thousands of smaller tiles. Draco quickly, without thinking, tapped on one with his pointer finger. He cursed himself before the same silver light flooded his vision._ _

__When Draco opened his eyes, he was greeted with bright blue eyes. Draco shrugged away, almost on reflex, as the eyes kept staring at him. He stood up jerkily, though the blue eyes didn’t follow him. He crossed his arms and rubbed them with his hands. It was cold. So very cold, yet there wasn’t a sign of snow._ _

__Draco was about to nudge the person below him, but stopped when he realized that the person hadn’t moved. His fingers retreated towards his body. He inspected the person, then. It was a scraggly blond with wide eyes that didn’t focus on anything. With a flinch, Draco knew the man was dead._ _

__Draco bent down and closed the blond’s eyes. He then wiped his hands, already hating that death plagued him here too. He finally took a notice of his surroundings. It was a full moon, if the brightness along with a round Moon was anything to go by. Draco picked up his feet carefully as he stepped across the dirt that was tattered with fallen branches and gravel._ _

__He folded his coat roughly against him, reminding himself that his mother did the same every time Voldemort came in for him, but with her night robe and a better poker face against the anxiety that was coiled inside of him. He rubbed his arms and attempted not to trip over the twigs and rocks that weren’t large enough for him to notice in the dark or small enough not for it to bother him._ _

__He assessed that the book was correct. Tiles were his lifeline. He needed to get to a world where he could help enough that death wasn’t common and lives weren’t entertaining to destroy. He shuffled his feet once he felt magic spots come near him until the soles of his shoes came to a halt in the gravel. Within moments, his heart had sped up and his breath became much too loud for his preference._ _

__Draco’s hand pulsed a light gray color before he became invisible. He did his best not to move as the rushed steps came closer and closer. His breath could give him away, as could his smell, but the sight of him was almost surely good in the dark. If he closed his eyes for a few moments in silent prayer, no one had to know._ _

__Before him, Hermione Granger led Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Weasley was looking buff compared to Granger and Potter who almost looked malnourished. Draco knew the war was hard on people, but he at least was safe at the Manor and supplied with food. It was everyone else that was unsafe, especially in the dungeons._ _

__Granger held her hand out, as if signaling the other two that something was wrong. After a beat, she let out a breath. Weasley and Potter relaxed as her palm silked down to her side. Draco knew something was afoot. Tension like that doesn’t happen during a war unless it was paranoia or the threat of an attack. Knowing Granger, Draco took it not to be paranoia. Granger was brilliant, if not smarter than him._ _

__Potter whispered articulately, “Hermione, do you think any Death Eaters found us? Ron packed the tent and I can apparate us somewhere if I need to.”_ _

__She gazed at him uncertainly, as if searching for the right words. She let out a quiet, “Maybe.” It was short and to the point. “Something’s still off. There might be a ward that will stop us from aparating. We need to move quickly.”_ _

__“Okay,” hushed Potter, “okay.” He looked up to Weasley. “How do you feel?”_ _

__“Angry,” said Weasley. “Tired. Hungry. Lost. Why are we traveling in the woods anyway? We’re trying to end Voldemort, not start a survival show. Can’t we see if Loony or Thomas will offer their home?”_ _

__“We can’t,” said Granger. “We can’t risk associating them with us, and we can’t let You-Know-Who track us down at all. He has surveillance everywhere. Old associates of ours will be the top of that list. Just talking about it will put them at risk. We can’t utter their names anymore.”_ _

__Weasley looked down to the leaves glumly. Draco thought maybe he should step forward and reveal himself, but he wasn’t like the trio before him. He was a coward at the worst of times and a traitor if it fit him. He had no right to pretend to be with them. He needed to not let anyone know he was even amongst the world. He needed to be a shadow._ _

__Potter spoke, “Who could make a ward against us? One that lasts for miles? I can’t do that, Dumbledore can’t do that, so who can?”_ _

__“Dumbledore could, but would most-likely prepare for it so it doesn’t drain their magic as much. Reserves are important.” She bit her lip. “Malfoy. She’s the only one amongst the Death Eaters that could do something like that. She’s smart and manipulative, and knows that the only way to survive is to be useful. Her one thing is wards- powerful wards. She could make one that encases miles.”_ _

__Draco froze, even more so than before. They thought his mother was a true Death Eater. Draco knew there was no ward. The odd magic Granger felt was his presence, but he didn’t speak of it. He was a statue amongst eras of masterpieces that would be remembered while he was forever unfound amidst the dirt._ _

__“Then we need to run,” ushered Weasley. His face was panicked, and the backpack strapped to his shoulder seemed to be heavier than Draco’s guilt. “We need to escape.”_ _

__“I agree,” said Granger plainly, “but if there is a ward, then if we hit it we’ll be found. That’s how a ward works. As long as we’re inside of it, not touching the edges, we’ll be safe. Sort of. Malfoy could be with a group of Death Eaters trying to kill us, but she would pinpoint us in moments if we breach the ward.”_ _

__Potter let out a hysteric sound. “So you want us to stay here, then, Hermione!? With that madwoman after us?”_ _

__“Yes. We have to. We’re- We’re trapped Harry, okay? We’re trapped and I messed up and I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”_ _

__Weasley breathed in from his nose as Potter stared at Granger with wide eyes. Hope was disappearing, Draco knew. Hope always disappeared. That’s what happens during war. That’s what happens due to life being crueler than expected. It gets the best of people, and Draco knew it well._ _

__“She might be a bit mad,” said Weasley in a comforting tone, “but we’re more insane than she could ever be. We’re a team that trusts each other. Malfoy doesn’t have that. What is our plan?”_ _

__“I,” she was lost in thought, “we could try to aparate, but we could die that very instant. We could stay put and be found. We could do a lot of things. None… none of them would get us out of here. Even if we break past the ward, we’d be chased after. We’re goners. We did all of this for nothing. I left my parents so that I could die.”_ _

__As Granger breathed heavily, her chest rising up and down uncontrollably as she fought against the upcoming tears, Weasley and Potter had fallen closer to her. It looked as if they would have a group hug, which would be a reassurance that they were all alive, but Draco couldn’t take any of it._ _

__Draco stepped forward. The gravel under his shoes was loud in the quiet space. After half a step, his invisibility disappeared and he met Potter’s eyes with his own. Potter reached out his hand, but Draco was faster. He flicked his hand up with a swoosh of gray. The trio was frozen._ _

__Draco pulled the trip apart. Their eyes flickered to him in fear. He knew that Potter would be cursing him while Weasley would say things about his horrid family. Granger would look somber and maybe rip him a new one. Draco could not allow any of that._ _

__“Hello. Hi there. Not sure if you know me or not. Call me Blondie or whatever you want. Git works too. I know there’s a war going on and all of that jazz, so let’s skip over that and into the reason why you’re out here, yes?” said Draco._ _

__As if by magic, Potter’s mouth opened. “Hey, git, who are you?”_ _

__“Who am I?” he echoed. “Well, I know a lot and hope to help you out, but I don’t have up-to-date information. I know you’re out here in search of something, so tell me what it is and I’ll lead you in the right direction.”_ _

__“Why would you help us?”_ _

__Draco paused. Granger eyed him particularly as Weasley seemed comfortable with dying if it meant all of it would end. Potter, though, seemed hostile and ready to tear out his throat. Potter would make a great werewolf for sure. Someone like Fenrir._ _

__“Not your business. Tell me what you’re looking for.”_ _

__Granger answered, “We’re searching for Excalibur. You wouldn’t happen to know what stone it is in, would you?”_ _

__“Excalibur was lost centuries ago. Why do you need it?” asked Draco in return._ _

__“We lost our old sword,” said Granger. “We need one that can destroy anything and everything.”_ _

__“Does it have to be a blade, or can it be a spell or a potion? Does it have to be stabbed?”_ _

__“No,” she answered, “it does not. Nothing else at our disposal can do the job. We lost the Sword of Gryffindor and need a replacement.”_ _

__Draco hummed. He heard about this from Voldemort. The man was so excited to tell his victory at the end of it all. Potter’s corpse was mummified and put on display while every Muggle-Born and Half-Blood were in prisons guarded not only by Dementors but Death Eaters and trolls. It was inescapable to the point that it was a death sentence that wasn’t connected only to paper._ _

__“I’ll make a potion. There’s a Basilisk at Hogwarts, is there not? I need its fangs and bone marrow. Potter killed it a while back, yeah?”_ _

__“Yes,” said Potter through gritted teeth. “What’s it to you? It’s not like we trust you. Hogwarts is under his control too. Why go there?”_ _

__“You’re naive,” stated Draco. The trio looked owlish at that. “You’re naive to think that a magical castle wouldn’t have hidden entrances and exits. You’re naive to think that every Slytherin is bad and every Gryffindor is good. You’re naive because that is what is taught and you’re naive because there is no good or bad. There is only gray, and gray is how we must see the world in order to live with ourselves.”_ _

__“Gray,” said Granger, “is but a color. Gray is not a perspective on life. There is white and black.”_ _

__“That’s why you’re naive, Granger. You seek facts, but not everything in the world is true. There will always be misconceptions and unprocessable knowledge even to you. The war is not black nor white. It is gray on all sides.”_ _

__Weasley, for the first time, spoke, “If you think that way, Blondie, why are you saying you’ll help us out?”_ _

__“Let’s save that for another time,” answered Draco. “There is no Malfoy here to hurt you. That magic you felt was me, Granger. Sorry about that. I had just arrived in search of you three. We need to move locations, though. If I lift the freezing spell, promise not to kill me?”_ _

__Draco did not receive an answer. He didn’t expect to, really. He removed the magic on the trio, but found that he forgot how Gryffindor Potter was. In a moment, he was down on the ground, eyes clouded black and thoughts leaving him._ _

__Weasley exclaimed, “Good one.” He kicked Draco’s limp leg. “Git. He looks like a Malfoy. He’s probably a cousin. They’re all Death Eaters. We need to leave him here.”_ _

__“Don’t,” spoke Granger. “If need be, he can be a hostage or prisoner. If he can help us, though, we need to earn his trust. We have to take him no matter what. Harry, you said you can apparate us, right, let's do that. To Hogsmeade. You-Know-Who might be too arrogant to think we would return to Hogwarts. And if this git will brew us up a potion to destroy the Horcruxes, then we need to use him.”_ _

__Potter stared at Draco’s limp form. Weasley knocked his shoulder into him. Potter flinched and flickered his eyes to Granger. “I’ll take us to Hogsmeade, then. Maybe go for a butter beer, then?”_ _

__“Or Ollivanders,” added Weasley, “his shop should be closed.”_ _

__Granger gave a nod of approval. “Ollivanders. We can pick up extra wands there. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of the one I have.” She held up Bellatrix’s wand._ _

__The two others gave tightlipped smiles. Potter bent down to hold onto Draco’s shin. Weasley latched onto Potter’s left shoulder while Granger crouched down to hold onto Potter’s arm. In a swirl of black, they were gone._ _

__They appeared in a dusty shop. They landed with a loud bang, and Potter briefly wondered if they were already found out. The trio looked to one another in horror as they heard footsteps. They all had their current wands out. Weasley almost tripped over Draco as he got into stance._ _

__Potter let out a breath of relief as he was met with a disbelieving face. “Ginny,” he breathed in excitement._ _

__“Harry,” she replied in shock. She hugged Potter, then her brother, and finally Granger. After they exchanged heartbeats, she pointed to the unconscious body of Draco Malfoy. “Who’s he?”_ _

__“Friend or foe. Not sure which one yet,” said Granger._ _

__“Huh. Should I, uh, like, not go near him?” she asked._ _

__Potter answered, “Probably.”_ _

__Granger added, “Anyway, we’re here for wands and Hogwarts. It’s not the weekend, and I’m sure You-Know-Who doesn’t let people have fun. How are you in Hogsmeade?”_ _

__Ginny grinned, one that the older Weasley knew well. “You see, Neville started up the DA again. We need wands because ours were snapped for one too many talkbacks, and I offered to sneak into Ollivanders. Neville’s collecting food right now.”_ _

__“But how are you here?” asked Granger._ _

__“Did you know that Dumbledore has a brother? Big secret, I know. A dead sister too, by the way, but that’s not as important. He runs this pub thing, and orders in food for the DA. A few other things too, but nothing too suspicious. Anyway, I need to hurry. Are you coming?”_ _

__“Yeah,” answered Potter. His gaze shifted to Draco, who was still on the floor. “Know a good way to sneak him in with us?”_ _

__“Turn him into an animal,” suggested Ron._ _

__The sister agreed, “Something as white-washed as him.”_ _

__“A ferret,” said Granger. “My old primary school friend had one. It was so cute. Real sneaky, though.”_ _

__“Small?” asked Ginny, already preparing a wand from a random box off of Ollivander’s shelf._ _

__Hermione gave a nod. “Easy to keep in a cage, too, if needed.” She flushed. “I hope he doesn’t get too mad at us. If he really is on our side, this might not be the best welcoming party.”_ _

__“It’s war. He’ll understand,” said Ron. “He has to understand we can’t let anyone in just because they say they’re good. You know what happened with Snape.”_ _

__“Snape,” said Ginny, “is still a professor at school. He’s keeping Dumbledore in line for You-Know-Who.”_ _

__She took a cardboard box from under a desk and started shoving wand boxes inside. Granger saw that and started to help. She grabbed another box and urged Potter to help her with it while Ron stuck to Ginny’s side. No one mentioned that life was fragile and every moment together meant more than the last._ _

__Once boxes were done, they transformed Draco into a ferret and placed him in one. Under charms, they fled to Abersworth and met up with Neville who was pushed boxes to the Room of Requirement. He hugged the trio like there was no tomorrow. No one mentioned the forming bruise on his jaw._ _

__“You look starved,” Neville exclaimed, “we need to get you something to eat. Protein. Nutrients. Anything.”_ _

__Weasley chuckled as he pushed a box of wands down the stone passageway as they slid on their knees. “Got any chocolate frogs?”_ _

__“No, but Seamus brought some muggle chocolate bars that he’s been hogging. Ask him for one. He’ll give in for sure. He misses you guys.”_ _

__“Why do you all need food supplies?” asked Granger in a worried voice as they slowly saw the light at the end of the tunnel._ _

__Neville replied, “We’re not a well-liked group, you know? No one, not even the Slytherins, are having a great time.”_ _

__“Zabini couldn’t cast an Unforgivable on Parkinson and was sentenced to detention just last week,” supplied Ginny. “They’re expected to do better than that because of their family history. The Greengrasses have done pretty well, though. But it doesn’t hurt as much as when Goyle or Crabbe do it.”_ _

__“Unforgivables,” hissed Ron, “what do you mean by that, Gin?”_ _

__“DADA is now Dark Arts, and detention means torture time.”_ _

__“You were supposed to be safe.”_ _

__“No one is safe, I think,” said Neville. “We like to pretend we are, but the death toll keeps getting higher. They’re starting to go after Half-Bloods now. No Muggle-Borns are still in school unless they’re in the DA room. And even then, they eventually smuggle themselves out to home.”_ _

__A few moments later they were met with a bright light. The current boxes were unloaded in a quick fashion followed by soft cheers. The group set their feet on the floor to be met with a small crowd. Potter’s eyes blew open comically._ _

__“Harry Potter has returned,” announced Neville in the quiet room, “and hope was brought with him. We have food and wands, too.”_ _

__Potter stepped forward, “I can’t tell any of you much, except for that the war will end soon. We’re looking for an object -most-likely to do with Ravenclaw- that’s very significant. We might have an unknown ally, too, but we’re unsure. Either way, we need to find this object first.”_ _

__“What would the object be?” asked Finnigan._ _

__Granger answered, “Anything. What matters is its significance. It will be known.”_ _

__“Also, if you touch it you’ll get possessed by the V-man himself, so don’t do it,” added Weasley._ _

__“What?” questioned Smith flatly._ _

__“Yeah. As he said, don’t touch it. We just need to know the object’s location,” concurred Potter._ _

__Lovegood spoke, “Ravenclaw’s Diadem fits the bill.”_ _

__Cho gave her a betwixt look. “You can’t be serious. It’s lost for a reason. No one can find it.”_ _

__“We live in a room where lost things reside,” murmured Lovegood. “Where else could something so lost be?”_ _

__Granger calculated her words. “That is true,” she stated,“but if people are living here then we can’t access it. It’s how the room works.”_ _

__A smug voice drawled, “You clearly don’t know how to work this room, then.”_ _

__Granger jumped to look at the box that a ferret previously resided in. The young man they saw in the darkened woods seemed polished and neat. His hair was put together perfectly, as well as the way he stood._ _

__Potter took out his wand, directing it at the blond man. The DA, sensing that the person who didn’t look much older than them was a threat, did the same. Curiously, Lovegood didn’t move an inch. If anything, she relaxed. Neville noticed because he trusted her feelings. Once he saw her grin at the man, he knew there was something underneath the Pure-Blood posture the young man was exhibiting._ _

__“What do you know about this room?” questioned Potter._ _

__“Room of Requirement, the Come and Go Room, the room where anything is possible. It grants wishes, yes, but it also stores unimaginable things too. A troll, perhaps, or a Horcrux with a piece of the Dark Lord’s soul residing inside.”_ _

__Granger’s wand waivered down. “You know a lot about Horcruxes. Just who are you?”_ _

__Thomas and Finnigan eyed the Weasley’s before turning their wands back to the blond man. Cho remained posed while Diggory seemed to brace for the impact of something going wrong. Neville gave a final sigh as Lovegood stepped forward._ _

__Potter whispered, “Luna, don’t,” but it was too late._ _

__Lovegood stood in front of Draco with curious, beaming eyes. “You have no Nargles. Or, well, you have a different set of Nargles than I’m used to. Daddy said there was ever only one species of them. So how do you have a new kind?” Her eyes scorched Draco where he stood. “You’re new, then, of course! New to this world.”_ _

__“What?” shuttered Granger. “You can’t possibly think that he’s a dimension traveler of any kind. That’s just theory after theory. Time turners are possible, but nothing else of the sort can be done.”_ _

__“Do you want to know why a time-turner can only go back so far? And the guidelines are so important to follow?” asked Draco._ _

__Without hesitation, Granger asked, “Why?”_ _

__“Because real, true time travel does not exist.”_ _

__Lovegood grinned. “The timeline would change no matter what. It would make an alternate universe automatically, even if most of the results are the same.”_ _

__“So really, universe traveling is quite simple compared to that.”_ _

__Granger’s wand shook in her hand. “From a different universe, you say, then why are you here?”_ _

__Draco huffed as Lovegood stepped to the side. He said, “Granger, you’re supposed to be the brightest witch of the century, why would anyone leave their universe?”_ _

__“For knowledge,” said Granger._ _

__“Because of fear,” added Neville, straightening his posture._ _

__“Love,” said Lovegood._ _

__Draco gave a soft smile. Even Potter’s wand grip faltered at it. Ginny looked as if she would cast her well-known hex at any time, though._ _

__“There are many possibilities, I suppose, but why would I come here to this specific one, Granger. Surely you can figure that out.”_ _

__“There are still many possibilities,” she replied._ _

__“Could still be a spy,” called Ron._ _

__Draco uttered in the silence, “The Dark Lord succeeded. Harry Potter is but the tale of a boy who died, and all those who aren’t Pure-Bloods are either dead, imprisoned, or used as slaves. In my universe, Hermione Granger was left with a rebellion that she could not win, Luna Lovegood was a testing dummy, and Neville Longbottom was a leader that even Bellatrix Lestrange struggled against. In my universe, there is no living. There was only death. I can’t let that happen to this one too.”_ _

__“You’re a Pure-Blood,” Finnigan accused, “why would we trust you?”_ _

__“What he means is what part did you play in your universe?” said Granger._ _

__Draco lifted up his sleeve. The Dark Mark moved across his skin, the skull looking as if it would jump from his skin and attack the nearest Muggle-Born. Draco said, “I was a Death Eater.”_ _

__“You’re young,” stated Potter. “You were recruited.”_ _

__“In a way,” conceded Draco. He slid down his sleeve. “I did what my father told me. Thought I was going to be the pride of the family. Didn’t understand what was going to happen, though.”_ _

__“When did you get the mark?” asked Granger, ever the observationalist._ _

__“My sixth year,” he answered. “The same year I was tasked with killing Dumbledore.’_ _

__“You killed Dumbledore?” questioned Potter. His eyes bore into Draco like no tomorrow, and the rest of the DA wasn’t any better._ _

__Draco raised a brow. “Does it look like I can kill one of the strongest wizards in the world, Potter?”_ _

__The green-eyed boy narrowed his gaze. “That’s not a no.”_ _

__Draco looked down. The feeling of being back as a human was still odd. He was lucky he had been in that form before and was able to get out of it so easily. He looked to Granger. She was the only logical person in the room. Lovegood was nice and all, but she wasn’t exactly sane in the same way he was._ _

__“My family was punished for a failure on a mission. I was entered into a magical contract. I was to kill Dumbledore by the end of my sixth year, or my mother would die. At the same time, my godfather entered an unbreakable vow with my mother. He killed Dumbledore in my place while I worked in the Room of Requirement.”_ _

__“To do what?” asked Ron._ _

__Draco flicked his hand. Against the wall, a large cabinet appeared. “I was to make this work so that Death Eaters could enter Hogwarts. Took me the whole year to fix.”_ _

__“The cabinet transported people?” questioned Neville._ _

__“No,” said Cho, “a cabinet can’t do that. At least not one like that.”_ _

__“It has a sibling, if you will,” said Draco. “In Hogsmeade, the Death Eaters would enter that cabinet and exit into this one. From there, they would take over Hogwarts.”_ _

__“So you grew a conscious or something?” asked Ron. “Not likely. You’re all the same.”_ _

__“I’m sure you’d think that, Weasley.”_ _

__“You got something against Weasleys?” asked Ginny, eyes gleaming for a reason to hex the bastard._ _

__“No,” said Draco, “only against Ronald.”_ _

__Potter snorted as Granger echoed, “Ronald.”_ _

__Ron gave Draco a strange look. “What?” asked Draco. “We dated.”_ _

__“We dated!?”_ _

__“When we were 9.”_ _

__“We were kids, then?”_ _

__“You broke it off after a week. I’ve hated you ever since, and everyone you’ve liked by association.”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__Granger whacked Ron, wand put away. “Obviously, he’s petty.”_ _

__“Very petty,” agreed Draco. “I like revenge too.”_ _

__“O...kay, let’s move on,” said Potter. “How did you get out of the animal transformation?”_ _

__Draco crossed his arms and went to the cabinet. He held up his hand. The DA had mostly put down their wands and watched in fascination as a gray light pulsed out of his palm. A few moments later, the cabinet creaked open. Draco closed it without batting an eyelash._ _

__“So, to prove I’m on your side I’m gonna do some cool stuff. Golden Trio, you’ve destroyed over half of the Horcruxes, yeah? Potter, have you found your special snitch?” Potter’s eyebrows rustled in confusion before he hauled the backpack off of Ron. “Granger, I still need the Basilisk’s fang and bone marrow.”_ _

__“We’ll get it,” she promised._ _

__Potter lit up with the snitch in his hand. He peaked at it, but found nothing odd. He asked, “Why is this important?”_ _

__“Oh, I don’t know, it only holds the Resurrection Stone. Nothing big.”_ _

__“What!?” hissed Ron. When Harry opened the snitch and revealed the stone, there was another sound. “Bloody hell!”_ _

__“Nagini should be a Horcrux, the diadem is one too. The Dark Lord was a charmer. Got the Gray Lady to tell him where it was. I think the creepiest one was the diary, though. Did you know that it sat on my shelf for years and I never knew what it was? Anyway, the diadem should be easy to get. It’s the other two that are hard.”_ _

__“Two?” asked Granger._ _

__Draco faltered. He looked around at the room, then focused on Potter. “I thought it was obvious. Harry Potter is the final Horcrux.”_ _

__“What?” gasped Granger in the tension-filled silence. Potter looked lost, but accepting._ _

__“When Lily and James Potter were killed, they acted as the sacrifices needed to create the Horcrux. Potter was unplanned, but it helped in the long run.”_ _

__“So I have to die?” asked Potter, voice soft in the large room._ _

__“Only partially,” confirmed Draco. “You have to be killed by the Dark Lord in order to get the soul piece obliterated, but your soul should be fine afterward. Might even stop speaking to snakes.”_ _

__Ron looked faint. “You’re saying Harry has to die in order to win? What about Nagini?”_ _

__Draco rolled his eyes. “Longbottom will handle Nagini.”_ _

__Granger eyed him while Neville looked surprised. Lovegood gave him a thumbs up. “Neville killed Nagini in your universe?”_ _

__“Chopped her head off,” he confirmed. “Awesome, right?” he grinned. The DA agreed, all giving Neville looks of praise. “Super badass. Sucked that the Dark Lord took his arm for it.”_ _

__“Skipping over that!” shouted Granger. “What’s next? You tell us his plans?”_ _

__“After the Gringotts break-in, he realizes that his Horcruxes are being destroyed one by one,” said Draco. “He goes to check on them to keep them safe. He comes to Hogwarts to get the diadem, but stays to kill Harry Potter. Twice. Mom never forgot to mention that part.”_ _

__“Twice. Once for the Horcrux and once for Harry,” said Granger in realization._ _

__Thomas asked, “Should I fetch Dumbledore or something?”_ _

__“No time,” announced Draco as a jeweled piece of jewelry appeared in his hand after a gray light. “We need to destroy this. Potter, open the Chamber, will you, and collect the fang and a bone. The potion takes a few hours to brew.”_ _

__“Classes are still in session. It’d look bad if we suddenly appear out of nowhere,” said Neville._ _

__Draco replied, “We’re magic. Cast a disillusionment and move on. We don’t have much time if this universe is anything like mine. He’ll announce that Potter is inside and anyone who finds him will be rewarded greatly. That just means he won’t kill you immediately. Then, every student will either flee, die, or be imprisoned within a day.”_ _

__“Magic,” echoed Neville. “Right. We’re wizards. We can- we have magic. That’s smart. Real smart.”_ _

__“I would hope so.”_ _

__In the background, Granger muttered, “Universe traveling. Why not? It’s not like they are rules for anything. No. No. This is completely normal. I guess this is what happens when your friends are idiots that attract trouble. God, I really wish I had a blanket. I miss mac-n-cheese.”_ _


	2. Mind of Stone

Realistically, Draco knew that the DA didn’t trust him at all. He could offer Voldemort on a platter and it would still be seen as a motive for the future. He tried not to give himself hope that he would become friends with the famous trios, and stuck to his plan of brewing a few potions to destroy the Horcruxes. 

The DA was still inside the Room of Requirement. Some have left to return to class while others were packing their things up. The Golden Trio were discussing quietly in a corner about the Resurrection Stone. They’re honestly too loud, but no one attempts to call them out for it.

As Draco stood off to the side with Finnigan still looking at him like he could be a Lestrange in disguise. The blond told himself that their opinion of him didn’t matter, but he was always known for lying to himself. Seeing these people alive and hating him was putting him in an off-mood where he thought he’d cry at a moment's notice if the slightest thing went wrong.

Then, Neville and Luna came up to him. Luna wore goggles over her eyes. She bounced her head and moved back and forth as she stared at Draco. Neville chuckled softly in amusement. When the inspection was over, Luna wore a brilliant smile.

“You’re wonderful,” she said to Draco. “Very wonderful. Do you when this is over, you’ll stick around and I can ask about the Nargles in your world?”

Draco smiled, then said, “I would love to, Lovegood. Though I must say, I’ve never seen any myself. I don’t know how much of a help I can be.”

“That’s okay,” assured Luna. “I’ll take anything I can get.”

“In return, can you tell me about your world’s Nargles?” he asked.

“I’d love to! They’re quite small and-”

Neville interrupted her, “Look, I don’t know why Luna likes you, but if you end up being a spy no one here will let you go. We’ll bring you down with us.”

Draco assessed the soon-to-be-man in front of him. He was looking good, he had to admit, and the bruise on his jaw looked badass. It probably didn’t feel good, but it looked cool. For now. If it did any serious damage, that’d be a bit sad. Draco shook his head to reply, “I got it.”

Neville gave a good nature whack in Draco’s shoulder and stalked off to talk with Ginny. Draco turned to Lovegood. Luna stared at him, goggles still on. She whispered, “Welcome home.”

Draco uttered back, “It’s good to be back.”

A loud bang froze everyone in the room. The bagn hit again against the door. Potter’s eyes flew to Draco while Draco was rigged as Luna leeched onto his palm. “It’s okay,” she whispered. Draco knew it wasn’t.

The door was being forced open. The banging continued. Granger took out her wand to do something -anything- as the doors jumped in and out. They were going to be killed, she knew. Slaughtered for not being more evil. For simply existing. 

The blond that she didn’t even know the name of took out his hand. Granger stared helplessly as a gray beam of light came from his outstretched palm. The dull color pushed against the door and stood its ground. As soon as the door was in place, the gray light shone brightly before turning dull once more.

“We must hurry,” commanded Draco. “What teachers are here right now?”

“Lockhart, Snape, McGonagall, Binns… mostly everyone’s the same except for the overseers of detention,” said Lovegood. “Though one of them has quite a bad drinking problem.”

“Lockhart?” questined Draco. “He’s still here?”

“Yep. He acts odd every year, but I can’t help that the Nargles like him.”

Draco sputtered. “But Lockhart?”

Ron questioned, “Why is that so hard to believe for you?”

“He was only in for a year. Lost his memories in a fight against you, in fact.”

“What?”

“I liked you that day. All other days I despised you.”

“Look, Blondie, you can’t just spill random information. We need to win this war. Help us win it.”

Draco agreed with a nod. “Weasley, I need to access the potion’s classroom and you and Potter need to retrieve at least a single Basilisk fang. The other ingredients are just for assurance. Get me a fang. Quickly.”

Ron gave a nod. “I can get a fang, but the potion’s classroom is Snape’s dungeon. He spends all of his time there. Hermione seems to trust you somewhat, but none of us are good enough against him. He’s a sneaky old bastard that hid his dueling skills for years. He’ll kill you instantly.”

Draco patted the red-head on the shoulder. “Worry about the fang. I’ll handle him.” Draco walked up to the gray barrier. Finnigan frowned, but didn’t say anything. Draco looked back to the Golden Trio. “I’m going to open this, and then we’re going to get our supplies. Then, we’re going to the Great Hall to blend in. Follow that, and things should work out.”

Draco squeezed his hand. The gray wall receded, and the door busted open. He took a deep breath as he was met with the face of Umbridge. Draco shook his head. Honestly, how are these people still around? 

Umbridge walked in with her wand and Slytherin cronies stacked up behind her like good little soldiers. Umbridge coughed into her fist. “It appears that Dumbledore's Army is still going strong. Would anyone like to tell me how I was locked out? The agreement was that all mudbloods would be handed over to me and I wouldn’t tell Professor Snape about this place.”

“We’re fresh out of bloody marys,” said Draco.

Umbridge fixated her wand and stare onto the blond. “Who are you?” A beat. “Pure-Blood, yes. I know that bone structure. The hair helps narrow it down. I demand you to leave.”

“You see,” he drawled, “I have a meeting with Snape and I can’t be late.” He flicked his four right fingers. Umbridge shrunk down into a toad. The amphibian croaked before jumping around in alarm. Her old soldiers let out laughs along with the DA.

Draco turned to the Golden Trio. “Get me the fang and meet me in the potion’s classroom. Then go to the Great Hall.” In a snap, he was running past the Slytherins. His eyes braced when he saw his old friends watching him in astonishment. He called out from down the hall, “Don’t worry about being disowned! They can’t do that anymore because you’re above 16!”

Draco didn’t pay attention to them anymore. He shuffled through the crowds of students that were going to bed. He almost couldn’t believe that the battle might happen during night. Full night time had always scared him. Even with Lumos, the light was never enough.

He entered the dungeons where his shoes tapped onto the stone floor. He knocked onto the classroom’s door. He heard a faint, “Classes begin in half an hour.” Draco opened the door anyway. 

Snape looked up from his desk to see a young man dressed in neat clothing who also had platinum hair. He briefly wondered if the person before him was a cousin of Lucius’s, but disregarded that when he noticed the black roots that were barely seable. Narcissa -Black- his mind supplied. 

Snape said, “Here to inform me of the Lord?”

“He is doing well,” said the unknown man before him. “He wants to attack Hogwarts tonight and kill Dumbledore publically. He wants you to offer him up on a platter. We don’t have much time before he arrives.”

Snape stood up, calculating every single twitch he saw. The man was lying. “You don’t work for the Dark Lord,” said Snape. He took out his wand. “The Order, then. Dumbledore sent you with news. Is he escaping tonight? Is that it?”

The young man smiled softly. “Uncle Sev, you’re smart but naive at the same time. The Dark Lord is coming, but Dumbledore’s not leaving. I need to borrow a cauldron to destroy a Horcrux. Move aside and I’ll do so.”

Snape put down his wand. He swayed his hand, “Use what you must.” He sat down after.

Draco quickly got to work. He took the correct ingredients from the shelves and carefully lit a fire under a golden cauldron. He was still stirring ingredients when the Golden Trio entered with flushed faces. Draco took the fang quickly and sawed it. Granger set down another bone, but he was sure that it was of no use. 

The trio were so caught up in Draco that they didn’t see Snape. Potter, once he realized there was another person in the room, pointed his wand at the professor. Snape raised his head. Granger held onto Potter’s shoulder.

Ron said, “I don’t know about you, but maybe Blondie knows that Snape’s safe.”

Potter didn’t remove his stance. “He almost killed Dumbledore.”

“So did I,” hummed Draco.

Granger hissed at the room, “Stop it. All of you. We need to destroy the diadem and prepare for the battle. We don’t have much time.”

“I have to die, anyway, so why not speed it up?” drawled Potter.

“Harry,” moaned Ron, “we’re not letting you die.”

“Only partially,” called Draco as the potion spewed a green smoke puff. “And it won’t kill you. Just the Horcrux will be destroyed. Now,” he turned to the room, “we need to get to the Great Hall.” 

He took the diadem and laid it onto a desk. He took a golden ladle and lifted up a small amount of liquid. He poured the dark liquid onto the diadem. There was a large screech as the diadem and desk melted. Snape let out a noise when a hole started to form in the stone floor.

“It completely destroyed the Horcrux,” amazed Granger. 

“Of course it did.” He then took Ron’s shoulder and pulled him out of the classroom. The rest of the group followed. “We need to warn the school. Everyone that’s of age will have to fight. Weasley, you need to be the glue and hold everyone together.”

“I can do that,” said Ron.

“Potter, go be a Gryffindor and piss off the Dark Lord so he strikes you down early. Granger, you need to remain calm and keep a level head as the battle goes on.”

Just as Draco had finished his words, the castle shook. Draco stumbled against the wall while Potter fell down. Ron helped him up as Snape looked disappointedly at everyone in the hall. Granger took Draco’s hand.

She asked, “When this is over, will you tell me your name?”

“Maybe,” was his answer.

They kept going. The outer walls of Hogwarts were collapsing. Teachers and upper year students were casting shielding charms, but people were still getting hurt. War caused pain, and so did love, but nothing like this. A werewolf passed Draco, and he promised himself not to shiver as Fenrir’s howl echoed in the halls.

“They’re here,” said Potter. His eyes steadied on Draco. “If you’re lying -about anything- I’ll kill you. I promise, I will.” Draco didn’t even flinch. Though he was surprised Potter was so blunt. “We’re going to win.”

“We will,” said Snape. He gave the students one last look. “Be safe, I suppose. I must attend my Lord. Remember, Dumbledore is strong but not the strongest wizard to ever live.”

“That title goes to Merlin,” Granger whispered, but Snape was already gone.

The four arrived at the Great Hall. McGonagall was putting up wards while students were ushering one another through the falling stones. Mcgonagall caught their eye. They rushed to her position. She didn’t even blink at Draco’s presence.

“They’re crossing over to Hogwarts as of this minute,” said Gryffindor’s head of house. “Be safe, stay together. The other professors will help me protect the castle. I’ll join the attack force as soon as the wards are up. Make everyone proud.”

She turned away, her black robes glistening as they transformed into red. Her hat pointed straight for a single moment before falling down and towards the hospital wing. 

Granger looked into Draco’s eyes. “Does Harry truly have to die?”

“Yes,” answered the blond. “No more, no less. Then it’s but Nagini and the Dark Lord himself.” Draco saw Zabini and Parkinson helping a group of Ravenclaws out of the danger zone. “I will meet up with you later.”

“Blondie!” shouted Ron as Draco jogged to his past friends.

Zabini looked at Draco with a calculating stare. “What do you want… Blondie?”

Draco huffed, but his mouth turned into a smile. Parkinson pushed a Ravenclaw boy to safety before glancing at Zabini. Draco said, “You two are going to help me. We’re going to pretend to be Death Eaters. The Dark Lord can’t tell the difference, we just need masks and robes. When the official battle starts, we’re going after him from behind.”

“That’s ridiculous,” said Zabini.

“But brilliant,” added Parkinson. She patted Zabini on the back. “We’re already going to be disowned, why not go out with a bang?”

“Neither of you will die under my watch,” promised Draco. “You’re going to live and be happy about it, got it? Good. Masks are a bit tricky to make, so help me.”

Meanwhile, the Golden Trio exited the school to see Neville, Ginny, Diggory, Mrs. Weasley, the twins, and practically everyone else that was legal age. Potter rushed to the front of the pack next to Neville. Mrs. Weasley looked at him proudly.

They watched as Voldemort’s army reached Hogwarts. His cackle was loud and much too insane to come from a person fit for power. The Elder Wand was parched in his grasp. He announced, “I’ve come to kill the boy at last. Harry Potter, how do you feel knowing that everyone here will die today?”

Potter saw Neville pick up the Sorting Hat, but didn’t think anything of it. He stepped towards Voldemort. “I think you’re going to be severely disappointed when you’re the one that dies.”

“If I am not mistaken, Potter, you are not the immortal one,” hissed Voldemort.

“I don’t think you are either.”

Voldemort flicked his wand. Snape watched as another part of Hogwarts fell. “You think you can beat me, but you are, as always, very wrong.” 

Mrs. Weasley watched in horror as Voldemort sent the Killing Curse at Potter. The green light hit him right in the middle of the chest. Harry fell back against the stone with a large thump. She turned to see Ginny hopelessly staring, but not wavering her wand. Hermione was much the same. 

Then, Neville unsheathed a sword from the Sorting Hat. Granger recognized it immediately as Gryffindor’s sword. The goblins took it, so she was baffled that it was in there. Ron grabbed her hand. She looked at him. 

“No regrets,” he said.

Granger agreed, “No regrets.”

The moment was ruined when Voldemort announced, “Harry Potter is dead!” His Death Eaters cackled with him. “Your Saviour is gone.”

Then, Dumbledore entered. The students separated to let him walk through. His blue robes were ripped on the sleeves. He greeted, “Tom.”

“Albus,” was the hiss in return.

“I ask that you stop. Turn yourself in before something more drastic happens.”

“It’s you who should be begging for his life,” said Voldemort. Bellatrix raised her hand and casted a jinx on Thomas. Finnigan caught him and canceled the spell. “You all should be on your knees. I might show mercy to a select few. In fact, I’ll let 4 students live if they join my side right now.”

No one moved, except the pinky of Harry’s hand. 

Voldemort sighed. “I’m disappointed. Killing so many Pure-Bloods isn’t what I set out to do.” He flicked his wand. Dumbledore spurred a wall in front of him to stop the curse. “Nagini! Kill everyone you can.”

The snake coiled off of Voldemort and slithered on the ground. Luna looked to Neville. She gave him a thumbs-up. He gave a nod to himself. Ginny grinned as he charged. She was only a step after him, but 3 steps behind Bill and Charlie. 

But then everyone halted as they heard the familiar voice of Harry Potter shout, “Now!” Then, everyone was moving towards Voldemort’s army in a synchronized attack.

Behind the Death Eaters, swarms of red, green, and gray hit them. Granger saw that it was Draco and two Slytherins in her year. The battle after that seemed so simple. Potter fought against Voldemort while Dumbledore held up wards with McGonagall that were stopping attacks from the Forbidden Forest.

Dumbledore finished the wards after a few minutes and aided Potter against Voldemort. Draco took off his Death Eater robe and started to circle his hands. As they orbited one another, the gray light in between them got darker and darker. All at once, he pushed the gray light towards Voldemort. 

Voldemort was so busy with Dumbledore and Potter that he didn’t notice the attack from Draco. He was hit with the gray blast, but remained standing. Voldemort turned towards Draco with venomous red eyes. 

“You,” hissed the Dark Lord. He examined Draco. “You’re a Malfoy. Why are you fighting against me?”

Lucius, ever the loyal servant, said, “I do not recognize him, my Lord.”

Voldemort continued to stare at Draco as he held up a shield against attacks from Dumbledore and Potter. “You look like two of my Death Eaters, boy. In fact, you look like many of my Death Eaters, but they’re just family, aren’t they?”

Lucius blocked an attack from Percy and crafted a hex to send back, but was unable to as he was pulled in by the Dark Lord. He saw that his wife was too. The two Malfoys were confused by Voldemort’s actions. 

“I must know,” said Voldemort, “are you their son?”

Draco froze in place. Narcissa looked at him with wide but inspecting eyes. Lucius scoffed at the idea, but that earned him a crackle of electricity from Voldemort. Bellatrix came up to join her Lord, and had a positive laughing fit over the question.

Bellatrix asked, “Did they hide their son? I thought you killed him when he was a babe, my Lord.”

Voldemort gave a nod. “He was supposed to be dead, yes.” He noticed Potter had broken through his shield. He sent through a stream of green light. It didn’t hit Potter, but it did make the boy hide behind rubble. 

“Draco,” whispered Narcissa, “is dead.”

Bellatrix patted her sister’s head. “He has your hair, Cissy. And your husband’s cheekbones. Where did you hide him? A blood traitor, is my guess.”

“No… no,” said Voldemort, “he is something different. Bellatrix, have you seen his magic?”  
Bellatrix paused. “It is gray all of the time, no matter the spell.”

“And he doesn’t say any incantation,” added Lucius.

Voldemort smiled for the first time since he thought Harry Potter was dead. “You use magic not of this world.” He was positively giddy. “What is your world like?”

Potter, who couldn’t get through Voldemort’s shield, looked stricken. Granger and Ron had caught up with the rest of the Weasley’s. Dumbledore was aided by Diggory and Cho. Neville raced to help, the bloodied sword from slaying Nagini still in hand, with Luna and Zabini by him.

Draco gave a laugh, swirling a puff of gray with his palms. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? You think you’re a saint, but in truth you’ll never be anything more than the sad orphan that tortured his teachers by setting them on fire. You’ll never amount to anything. You have your followers do everything for you. You’ve never accomplished anything on your own.”

Voldemort rebutted, “I killed Harry Potter.”

“You did not,” Draco laughed, “you killed a piece of your own puny soul. You were an idiotic buffoon that kept splitting your soul in half. You barely have any soul left inside you, you know? Potter had more Dark Lord in him than you do. Isn’t that just pitiful?”

Potter, catching onto what Draco was trying to do, added, “He can’t kill me. Not even when I was 11!”

Voldemort turned around to him. Potter grinned like the maniac he was. Voldemort put down his shield, and their duel continued. Dumbledore went to fighting the Malfoys while Bellatrix circled Draco.

Granger threw a hex at Bellatrix, but the Mudblood-hater blocked it. She looked at Draco with pleading eyes. Draco tried to seem calm, but he was nothing of the sort. His hands were shaking as the gray light -his magic- formed. The light started to become blinding as he kept adding more and more of his power into it. He had a spell in mind, but he wasn’t sure if it would work.

Bellatrix asked plainly, “Are you Cissy’s son? I’ve always wanted to torture a close family member. I’m never able to hurt Cissy because of how valuable she is, but you’re not even supposed to be here. I bet I could have a lot of fun with you.”

Draco gritted his teeth and pushed the spell towards her. She attempted to block it, but the gray X cut her shield. She flew in the air slightly from the force of the cuts. Draco stepped closer as Snape, who was on his way to support Dumbledore, was staring at him in shock. Draco knew why. But no mind.

Granger met up with him, Ron and Ginny at her side. She exhaled, “Are you really their son?”

“Not their son, but their counterparts, yes.”

“So your name is Draco,” hummed Ginny, faux casually. “You don’t look like much of a Draco. I prefer Blondie.”

“Weird,” said Draco, “thought you’d go with Git.”

Granger interrupted, “So, uh, you just killed your aunt, then.”

Draco looked at her in confusion. He turned to see Bellatrix limp. She was dead. Ron patted his shoulder as if that would help. Draco was at a loss.

He said, “I thought she’d be back up by now.”

“That was a strong spell,” murmured Ginny, “how could she get up after that?”

“But- but I was hit with it before. In a bathroom. When I was crying. I survived it.”

Ron quirked an eyebrow at him before shooting off a hex at a Death Eater. “Are you sure, mate? That spell looked gnarly. You put a lot of power into it, too. Would that differ results? Also, why did they cast it on you while you were crying in a bathroom?”

Draco shrugged. “He was kind of a stalker, to be honest. He thought I was a Death Eater, which I was, and tried to prove it by catching me in the act. The git. Glad I hated him.”

“Why… why did you hate him?”

“Ron, that is not the question you should be concerned to ask,” said Granger.

“No, it’s fine. He turned down my friendship when we were 11. Never liked him from then out. Didn’t help he was friends with you, Ronald.”

Ron turned white. He asked, “I’m friends with a person who cast that curse on you?” 

Draco said, “Well, I was a Death Eater. He was trying his best to do something good. I was tasked with killing Dumbledore and stuff. Poisoned a few people too, but no one died by my hand.”

“But while you were crying?” ushered Ginny.

Draco shrugged. “Potter had his reasons. I’m lucky, in the end. I’m here, anyway.”

“Harry?” gasped Granger in shock. She looked baffled at the idea as they ran across the rubble and started to help people with injuries. “Just because he thought you were a Death Eater.”

“I wasn’t a nice person to him,” was the reply she got.

The quartet barely saw the moment that Voldemort fell against the stone of Hogwarts outer floors. He didn’t get up again. Ginny briefly heard cheers and yells, but all she could look at was Draco’s amazing expression. It was a mix of disbelief and utter fascination. Then, the blond whispered, “He did it.”

Ginny wasn’t sure why, but she pulled him into a hug. Ron joined her causing Hermione to do the same. They even jumped up and down a bit. Draco shook his head, but continued to grin as if all of his worries disappeared. 

Ginny said, “Blondie, you might have just changed history.”

“It’s incredible,” breathed Granger. “The war’s over.”

“Not really,” was the blond’s reply. “The Death Eater trials will take months. Prejudice will remain no matter what. If it’s not this war that kills you, it’ll be the next. A war will come again and again. There will never be true harmony. If there was, then no one would have differing opinions. Each person has a different opinion, it’s what makes life life. This war might be near its end, but there will be hate following. Nightmares, too. Days that feel too cruddy you can’t bear to look in the mirror.”

The others couldn’t speak. Draco smiled softly at them. “Sorry,” he said, “but you’ll see it soon enough. Decades from now, you’ll wake up and think you’re in the middle of the woods being chased by Snatchers. Days from now you’ll be staring at the papers demanding why something isn’t being changed. It’s… it’s better that you know than not.”

Granger replied, “Then we’ll deal with it.”

“Plus, you might have won if I wasn't here in the first place. Maybe Potter lost because I existed. That seems to be the change in this world, after all. I was killed before I could grow up.”

“You can’t possibly know that,” hushed Granger. “Many things could be different in this world -this universe- than yours. For all you know, you being here is what saved us from being taken over.”

Ron added, “Don’t think about the what-ifs. It’ll drive you nuts.”

Draco crossed his arms and rubbed his elbows. He looked across the area. “We did it.” Then again, but more hysteric, “We did it.”

Potter, coming seemingly from nowhere, hugged his friends. Neville and Luna walked steadily behind them, but Neville was limping and only making it with the help of Diggory’s shoulder. Draco saw Cedric, and realized that a lot of lives were saved in the earlier years, too. 

When the reunion -and the death looming over them- was done, they began a conversation. Draco stood in between Ron and Ginny. Potter was monologuing about the war being over and how maybe they could have a normal summer. It felt like it was all for nothing. It was dark, humid, and Draco deeply wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep for a million years. 

Ginny hit his shoulder. Draco looked at her in confusion. She pointed up to the sky. Draco followed her line of sight. Above them, large balls of light in an array of colors lit up. He searched for who made them, and found Dumbledore making a gray ball. The light orbs lit up the castle as it started to slowly repair itself.

“It’s wonderful,” he mused aloud.

Potter offered, “At least we have light now.”

“I don’t know that spell,” complained Granger. “That would be so cool to have when reading in the dark.”

“Like this?” questioned Draco. From his palm, a gray orb floated up and around the small group. “It’s convenient, I guess. They’re mostly used to get children to fall asleep.”

“Like a night light?”

Draco said, “Sure.”

“... You don’t know what that is, do you? I have a plug-in one at home. Or, I did. My parents don’t even know they have a daughter, let alone care if they threw out something.” Ron rubbed Granger’s shoulder. She smiled at him. “I’m fine. Exhausted, mostly. I- I can’t believe it’s over.”

Neville asked, “D’ya think we’ll be in history books? That Binns will teach about us?”

“Binns is someone I happily don’t have to listen to anymore,” Draco provided. 

“So you had him as a teacher too? At least he doesn’t have a drinking problem like Professor Lockhart,” hummed Luna.

Draco chuckled. Gazes turned to him. “I’m mostly surprised Lockhart’s still here. He obliviated himself with Ronald’s broken wand in second year. Didn’t help that all of his book series turned out to be lies. That he obliviated other wizard’s memories and said their defeats were his.”

“You Lockhart did that?” murmured Potter. “Is ours like that, you think?” He pointed out the eccentric man from across the grounds. “He’s a horrible teacher, but better than Umbridge.”

“What happened to her anyway?” asked Luna. “I saw a toad earlier, but lost track of it.”

Neville blushed. He fumbled with his words. “I, uh, might have seen Nagini eat something before I killed her.”

“No,” gasped Granger, though the excitement in her voice was loud. 

“Uhm, yeah. I think- I think she was eaten.”

“The toad deserved it,” stated Draco. 

“Draco!” hissed Granger. “You can’t say that!” Draco shook his head in bemusement. 

“Is that your name?” asked an old man’s voice. The group was greeted by Dumbledore. “Draco, like the constellation in the sky. A family tradition. Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy have been sent to the Ministry, but they’re not your true parents, are they?”

Draco stayed silent. Ginny pinched him. He didn’t stir.

Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled in the way that Draco hated. “It’s okay. I heard. A person from another world is very uncommon. An unspeakable matter, in fact. At least it wasn’t time travel. Then there would be a lot of memory tampering.”

Potter spoke, “Professor, you believe him?”

Dumbledore gave a nod. “His magic is not of this world. It’s simply different from anything we could do. Spells change colors, his does not. Gray is a mysterious color, though. Perhaps it means more than you think.” He smiled as Draco continued ignoring him. “Do we have a past, Draco?”

Draco opened his mouth. Then he shut it. He eventually gathered his thoughts into words, “You’re very manipulative, whether you want to be or not. You created a space where prejudice was the norm and hate was allowed to gather. The houses split apart in the school. Unity-house activity does not exist. You… you allowed hate to fester, and you allowed young students to get in over their heads in traps. I… do not like you at all. I do not trust you one bit.”

The group looked stricken. Dumbledore looked amused.

“I suppose I allowed too much to go on within the halls of Hogwarts.”

But Draco didn’t stop. “I mean, you allowed me to poison students because you thought I was a good person. That I’d switch sides before I got in too deep. You allowed people with Dark Marks to teach your student body. I- I will never understand why you let Sirius Black stay in Azkaban when you knew he was innocent.”

The group was silent. Draco silently registered that many things must be the same in this universe if the Golden Trio was lost in thought about Dumbledore’s past actions.

“I am sorry, my boy, but I cannot change the past. I did what I did for the greater good.”

“In my universe, you let me disarm you before you begged Snape to kill you. You planned out your death. You let Potter die in the woods because he was just a pawn. You let the Dark Lord win because you underestimated the boy you met in the 40s. You might not be the same Dumbledore I know, but you are at least very similar.”

Dumbledore wet his lips. “You are very troubled by your past, Draco, but let it be known that we have won.”

Just as he said that, Lockhart was behind him and a green light was coming. Draco knew the wand that the professor was holding. “Crouch Jr,” he muttered as he pushed the Weasleys down with him. 

When Draco looked up, he saw that Potter raised a wall to shield the Killing Curse. Dumbledore finished the job by killing Barty Crouch Jr. with a curse of his own. The headmaster coughed once, as if his throat had become dry.

Draco said faintly, “Oh, that’s why Lockhart was still around. The perfect cover, I suppose, for a Death Eater.”

Ginny was the first to let out a hysterical laugh. Draco followed after. Hours later, when they were asleep in the Great Hall on mounds of mattresses, no one had mentioned it. How horrible they all felt even when the war was over. Why would they, when they all joined in at the end?


	3. Epilogue

Rita Skeeter sat across from him. Her curly blond hair didn’t resemble his, but Draco was still mad that there was some sort of association with it. Honestly, it was cruel to be given the same as her. Sure, his started to turn dark in the roots after he was done with puberty, but that was not the point at all. Skeeter didn’t deserve to have blond hair.

Skeeter asked with a chirp, “Is it true that you come from an alternate universe? I’d really love to know. My readers would love to know. All I’m asking for is one quote.”

Draco glared at her. She was unphased. Wench, he secretly thought. Skeeter reminded him of Umbridge, but only in the annoying bitch way. They drove him insane, not that they ever cared about how he felt.

He replied, “I know you’re an unregistered Animagus. I will stoop to blackmail if you do not leave me alone.”

Skeeter promptly gaped, packed up her items, and fled the ice cream shop. Draco turned to greet Granger with a smile. She eyed him particularly but didn’t mention a thing. Draco liked her because of that. Lovegood, on the other hand, mused quite loudly if he had any more dirt on the journalist. He lied and said he didn’t. 

The three were soon joined by Ginny, Ron, and Potter. Potter sat next to Lovegood and Granger, while Draco was in the middle of Ginny and Ron. It was beginning to be a thing- the seating arrangement. Sometimes Neville joined them, but he was busy visiting his parents trying to tell them the good news.

“Will you do an interview for the Quibbler?” asked Lovegood.

“Of course he wouldn’t,” said Ron, “he’s too pampered for that. Plus, no one would believe the article. I barely believe that Blondie won’t end up being a figment of my imagination that I made up to cope with war.”

“I second that,” added Granger.

Draco grumbled into his mint chocolate chip ice cream. “I am not a total ponce, you know. I’ll do an interview, but some stuff must stay between us, got it?”

Lovegood beamed. “Absolutely! Can we start now?” She took out a pocketed device. She pressed a few buttons on it before getting out a quill and notebook. “Now, how did you get here, to our world?”

“A book passed down in my family,” was the answer.

“Why did you travel to our universe?”

“Because the Dark Lord sucks at eating ass,” he replied shortly.

“Draco!” nearly all of the voices around him screeched.

He shrugged. “What? I said some things stay between us. Mentioning that the Dark Lord won in my universe isn’t exactly a fun thing to talk about.”

“Okay,” announced Lovegood, “then what are your thoughts on Voldemort’s demise?”

“Old snake-face deserved it. Good one, Potter.”

Potter looked shocked, but didn’t peep at all. Granger gave him a glare, but Draco knew it was because he was being an ass in the interview. He sat up straighter and put down his ice cream spoon.

“Fine. I think that the Dark Lord should stay dead and that if another one rises up in a few decades, then they need to send the Golden Trio after them. Or maybe just, I dunno, have a better Ministry. Hopefully the next universe is better at government systems.”

“Next universe,” repeated Granger. “You plan to leave? Draco, you could stay here and be happy.”

Draco shook his head. “I have too much to pay for. Helping one war doesn’t amount to the horrible things I’ve done. I need to try to help more worlds before I die.”

Ron smiled sadly. “Will you come visit?”

Draco answered truthfully, “I don’t know how it works. If… If I can, then I might. Maybe you all need to move on while I’m not here. I cause more trouble than I can fix.”

Ginny said, “Whatever you choose, I’ll support.”

Draco glanced at her. “You’re odd, She-Weasel.”

“What did you just call me!?”

“Sorry, it slipped out.”

“She-Weasel?” questioned Ron. “You’re the ferret!”

“I said sorry!” shouted Draco.

“Ferret,” Ginny choked out as she stuffed ice cream down her throat. “See if I care if I get called Weasel.”

“Whatever,” said Draco, “can we switch back to something else?” He got a nod from Luna. “When I first came here, I was met with the eyes of a dead man. I recognized him, but I can’t figure out why he was dead. And since you all were in the area, I was wondering if you could tell me why Ludo Bagman was dead.”

“Bagman’s dead?” questioned Ron. “Fred and George will be glad to hear. They never got their money.”

“It was where we first met you?” questioned Granger.

Draco affirmed, “Yeah. Less than a kilometer away.”

“Maybe the goblins finally got to him,” said Ginny. “He owes a lot of debts.”

Ron added, “If there’s anything I learned about goblins, it’s that they take what’s theirs.”

Lovegood asked over their talk, “Draco, how old are you?”

“Hmm? 20. You?”

“17,” was her reply. “When did you receive the Dark Mark in your universe?”

“The summer before my sixth year at Hogwarts. I was, uhm, it was an honor to have.”

Potter questioned, “Really? An honor to have something on your arm forever?”

Draco gave a nod. “It signified that you were with the Dark Lord. His reign was in preparation for years before anyone truly noticed. His loyal Death Eaters from the First War spread word around to neutral families, then onto undecideds. I think it was fear of the power that he had, that people joined the Dark Lord.”

“But not your family,” said Granger. “Your father, right? He was an early-on Death Eater.”

Draco thought back to the text books Voldemort left around and supplied in schools. “Yeah. He, uh, was kind of early. The Dark Lord started recruiting when he was in Hogwarts, still, so I’m unsure if he’d still be considered that.”

Then, Ginny asked, “Why do you call him nothing but the ‘Dark Lord’?”

Draco jerked his head towards her. “I… I don’t know. It’s what he’s always been. I grew up hearing stories about him from my father. Right before second year, the stories became longer and grander. By fourth year, father was running around prepping the house for a guest.”

“Voldemort stayed in your house?” gasped Lovegood. “Was he a good houseguest?”

Draco frowned. He stared into his ice cream. “Not really. Nagini was awful. She ate a peacock when I stepped on her tail by accident. I guess I was lucky, though. Everyone else lived in fear when they were just simply shopping. I was always okay when I went out in public. If he was going to kill me, he’d do it at the Manor for his supporters.” By the end he was humming thoughtfully. “Yeah. I think I had it better than someone like Ollivander or Rosmerta.”

“Blimey,” choked Ron, “you’re really messed up, aren’t ya?” Granger hit him in the shoulder. Draco acted like nothing happened and turned to Lovegood for more questions.

“Okay, well, I guess I’d like to know what happened when Voldemort reigned. What was he like? What was the world like?” said Luna.

Draco paused, his ice cream looking like a melted soup. “Death was normal. Potter’s body -his corpse- was put on display at the Ministry to prove how strong he was. Muggle-Borns and Half-Bloods were driven out and desperately tried to blend in as a Muggle, but the Dark Lord had lists with all of their names. The Aurors would be sent out to get them. It was either that or death for them.”

“And Voldemort’s ruling?”

“He was smart,” admitted Draco. “He painted history very well. Before I left, textbooks with his story were sent to magic schools. I don’t think it mattered much because there were only Pure-Bloods in the system, and they all know self-preservation. It was taught when the Dark Lord had officially won.”

“He ruled with wisdom, but created a dark era,” summed up Potter.

“Yeah,” agreed Draco. “Yeah. He was resourceful and had a lot of insight on how the Muggle world worked. Honestly, I don’t know how he did it all. The people he associated with knew nothing of the Muggles.”

Lovegood chimed, “He had a lot of time on his hands.”

“He would’ve,” grimaced Ron.

Potter said to Draco, “But you’re here now. Maybe not for much longer, but you’re in a universe where Voldemort is gone and the Light won.”

Draco smiled, and it was as if he wasn’t going to disappear later. It was as if they could all be happy.


End file.
